Why Cricket today needs a Tendulkar

Cricket is a religion in India, more than any other country in the world.

It has the influence to pull communities inside one room just to get a glimpse of the game. It has the ability to break the corporate barriers wherein the Mega-boss to the trainee sit in the same cafeteria forgetting their ‘number’ gamed corporate hierarchical world just to see what happened in the last ball of the over.

Obviously nothing elated this country more than, when India triumphed their second World cup after decades of waiting, finally under the captain-ship of M.S.Dhoni. But the fun part to watch was, the screams of ecstasy on the television sets and out of it as spectators across the globe saw the little Master (Tendulkar) holding the cup.

This week (3rd week of March 2012 – 16/03/2012) cricket aficionados around the globe watched another such spectacularly thrilling historic achievement in the field of cricketing sport when the ‘God of Cricket’ Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar scored his 100th Hundred in International ODI’s.

His last such century was a little more than a year before this one. This made the fans quote it as a ‘year long awaited century’.

Now we are talking about the accolades of a 38 year old man who has made this dazzling dream scores given below as his career statistics, in a career spanning over two decades of sheer perseverance and dedication towards his sport.

But the irony was, this was not a hundredth hundred or a ton which was a one year wait. This was one sportsman’s records which was filled with more than just 99 milestones in a career span of over two decades which included the high’s and low’s of both, performances and the little masters health, injury which were part of the so called ‘game’.

The bizarre point to note was, there was a sudden super-splurge in the scores of ‘sachin-haters’ who have showcased all available data, numbers, statistics of “how Tendulkar’s tons have led India to a loss over decades or have resulted in India’s losing the game most of the time”. So here’s to all of them, the language of Tendulkar’s tons statistical number facts and what it has over the years done for team India in the field of Cricket, not to mention for the energy of the fans watching the game completely oblivious to the world around them.

Now that we have that out of our system, let’s look at “Why Cricket today needs a Tendulkar?”

Now here is a man who gives up crores of worth rupees advertisements because the brand he would end up promoting is a liquor brand. When was the last time media caught this icon smoking, swearing or drinking in public. Tendulkar has taken efforts to keep his ‘image’ right in front of the audiences not because he wants to look like Mr.Goody two shoes, but he understands the responsibility of being an icon. Would there be lesser fans if he would smoke or drink in a public party / gathering. Probably not, but there for sure would be a huge new groups of ‘fans’ taking up the old pipe because their role model or icon makes it look cool on the screen. His gesture as a sports icon is unbelievably amazing towards his fans as he has managed to keep his cool in cases where any other individual or athlete would have probably lost it.

High media pressure, fans expectations have made this icon a great legend. But his sense of responsibility, humble outlook and approach and professional and social graciousness and civility have for sure given him the rightful pedestal as a “God of Cricket”. Tendulkar today, has showcased amazing fortitude which has shown his focus towards the game since decades resulting to his historic accolades, majority of which would never be broken at least for another three to four decades.

The magic behind this legendary Sportstar is that, not only his hundredth hundred became a media frenzy, but his other 99 milestones were as exciting to watch.

I had this amazing opportunity to enjoy a match at the Wankhede stadium this year (Tickets courtesy of a dear friend Amit and Mr.Ramani) wherein all eyes were set on the little master scoring his hundredth ton. I watched the icon practicing on the nets for sometime before going back and getting ready for the ‘game’. Now here is a man lauded as a ‘God of this sport’ and he still comes out on the nets to practice before the game. This is what makes him stand out. This is what makes majority of the other cricketers of today celebrities whereas it places Tendulkar as “Mr.Cricket” himself. The sheer commitment, dedication towards the game and the genuineness and sincerity towards making the best of what he can for the billion fans of his watching him play at the edge of their seats.

Ask any bowler around the world and their most prized wicket will be Tendulkar. The best part is, this has been the case for over two decades now and it’s not going to change anytime soon.

Whenever one associates a celebrity or an icon with a particular field, there also is this ‘negative cool trait’ which one usually links with the game. Sports has this unique quality to associate their icons like having the rockstar quality. Smoking, drinking, partying, getting into fights and squabbles and more. I cannot recall an incident when the little master lost his cool in public in the last two decades.

The fact of the matter is, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is the God of Cricket or a true legend or a humble human being not because of what he choose to be, but because of how the world perceives him through his way of life, be it at the nets or at parties. He has always been the perfect gentleman, a focused dream maker.

Summing it up, a wonderful giving human being, a dedicated, devoted and iconic sports star, a legend who has kept his cool and benign manners in public for over two decades, is not just another athlete. He is Mr.Cricket himself. The world needs mentors, inspirations and dream setters and achievers like him.

Asking him to forcibly retire when he is delivering some of his best hits is like asking him to quit and save his face while he is still the best. Now that’s never been Tendulakr’s style. Blaming the little master’s tons for India’s losses is like asking an employee in the corporate world to quit because he performed the best, but the company’s Financial results were down. It just doesn’t make any sense.

The world needs humble icons today. Legends whom the young generation can look upto in every aspect of life. If we cannot learn from the humbleness, the devotion, perseverance or the ability to chase dreams from someone like Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, who has been relentlessly doing it for over two decades, rest assured, there’s probably a vacuum in our souls for the ability to dream big coupled with misled statistics and zero ability to see the big picture.

It has not taken Tendulkar one year to hit his hundredth hundred. It has taken him two decades, scores of other amazing and unbeatable records and 99 other international hundreds to do so.

To sign off and conclude, let me also state for the records, I am neither an ardent cricket fan nor a Tendulkar worshiper. I am just another inspired individual who is in awe of anyone who can make magic happen with a humble heart and make me wait in anticipation of what is to happen next relentlessly over so many years.

I rejoiced the day when the little master hit his hundredth ton without a doubt and am thankful to have seen it at least on the screen.

Looking forward to the icon hitting off the grounds and more unbeatable records and in the process, creating fans out of simple men, much like myself.